Display refrigerating apparatus



J. R. PICHLER DISPLAY REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 26, 1952 Jo'seph R. BY

INVENTOR.

Pichler Patented Aug. 17, 1954 DISPLAY REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Joseph R. Pichler, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application July 26, 1952, Serial No. 301,141

9 Claims. l

This invention relates to refrigeration and particularly to the construction and arrangement of air distributing elements in a refrigerated display case.

In open top refrigerated display cases of the type employing hollow vertical flue members dividing the display section of the case into food storage compartments and utilized to circulate air at freezing temperatures from a lower portion of the case to an upper portion thereof, it is customary to provide an air deecting cap member upon the upper open end of the ues to direct air circulated upwardly therein therefrom. Such cap members are preferably provided with an imperforate top wall to cause a reversal in the flow of airA whereby the air instead of continuing its upward course, toward the open top of the display case, will be deflected laterally and downwardly from the ues upon and over food products stored in the compartments. Due to the low temperature of the top wall of such cap members and their proximity to the open top of the display case moisture in the air adjacent the top of the case will, when this air contacts the cap members, condense out of the air and be collected on the caps in the form of frost or ice. These cap members thus become frosted long prior to the necessity for defrosting other portions of the air circulating duct system of the display case or an evaporator of a refrigerating system located therein. I therefore contemplate the provision of air deecting cap members for the open upper end of upright hollow air distributing ue members in a substantially open top display case that can be quickly and readily removed from the flue members to defrost or de-ice the same independently of any general defrosting operation to be ycarried out during use of the case.

An object of my invention is to provide a removable air deilecting cap for the upper end of air distributing hollow flue members in open top refrigerated display cases so as to permit quick detachment of the cap from a flue member for clearing frost or ice therefrom.

Another object of my invention is to provide Such a removable cold air deflecting flue cap with outlet openings along the sides thereof for directing air laterally out of the iiues and with means forming stops to space an imperforate top wall of the cap a predetermined distance above the upper open end of the flues.

In carrying out these objects, a further object and important feature of my invention resides in the form and construction of an air deecting cap member for the upper open end of a cold air flue wherein metal portions bent or punched from side walls of the cap member, to provide a row of outlet openings for directing air out of the flues, in addition to forming stop means for the cap member also forms baffles in the flue cooperating with other portions of the cap member to direct air laterally and downwardly out of the same.

Additional features and advantages of my invention will appear in the following description in which reference is made to a preferred form of air deflecting cap illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a substantially open top refrigerated display case having vertical cold air ues covered by an air deflecting cap constructed in accordance With my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the display case taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1 showing a row of air outlet openings for an air flue formed in side walls of an air deflecting cap on the nue;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing an air deflecting cap removably located on an air flue; and

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 showing an end wall on the air deflecting cap overlapping an end wall on a hollow ilue.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown in Figures 1 and 2 thereof a refrigerated cabinet of the open top elongated display case type wherein vertical hollow flues form partitions for dividing the interior of the display section of the case into a plurality of food storage and display compartments. Such cabinets are now onthe market and may be of the design and construction as fully described and shown in the patent to Marshall W. Baker, Patent No. 2,661,604, dated December 8, 1953, or as illustrated and claimed in the patent to Edward F. Brill et al. No. 2,574,- 242, dated November 6, 1951. For this reason a detailed description of the construction, arrangement and mounting of dividers, baffles and other parts of the display case will not be herein made. Refrigerated display cases of the type herein shown ordinarily include a plurality of outer insulated walls and means of some sort, such as the divider plate I0 within the case, to divide the interior thereof into upper and lower chambers l I and i2 respectively. A plurality of spaced-apart hollow sheet metal flue forming members I4 are supported in the upper chamber I| in any suitable manner and partition this chamber into a plurality of separate open top food storage and display compartments. The bottom wall of the food compartments is spaced from the dividing means, plate Ill, and the front and back walls of these compartments are spaced from a glass front wall and a rear wall of the case respectively. The spacing of these compartment walls together with the hollow flue members I4 provide air passages about all walls of the plurality of food storage compartments. Chamber I2 below the dividing plate I houses an evaporator I3 of a closed refrigerating system associated with the display case and. a plurality of motor operated fans or blowers I7 for circulating air over the evaporator I6, through the air passages about the compartment walls and upwardly through the hollow iiue members |4. This air is cooled by evaporator I6 to a temperature far below freezing in order that packaged frozen food may be safely stored and preserved in the food storage compartments.

During operation of the refrigerating system to cause evaporation of refrigerant in evaporator I6, as is well known to those skilled in the art, the motors which drive the fans or blowers Il are energized to rotate the same. Rotation of the fans or blowers II circulates air, drawn into the lower chamber I2 through passages 2| and 22, over the evaporator I6 where it is cooled to a temperature below freezing and is thereafter forced upwardly from chamber I2 through the rear passage 23 to the upper chamber II. Air ows from passage 23 into the horizontal passageway 22, intermediate the bottom of the food storage compartments and the divider plate I, to the front passage 2|. Some of the air entering passageway 22 ows upwardly through the hollow sheet metal flue members I4 and is discharged over food products in the storage compartments. The top of the hollow ue members I4 is terminated slightly below the open top of the case and it is customary to locate an air deflector means or air deflecting cap over the upper open end of these ue members for causing air passing therethrough to be directed laterally therefrom over the food products in the compartments. Since the cold air flowing upwardly through the ue members I4 strikes the undersurface of the top of a cap member placed over the open upper end of the ues the top surface of such a cap member becomes very cold. This top surface of a cap on the ue members is the nearest element of the air circulating duct system exposed to ambient air outside the cabinet and any exterior air contacting the same will deposit its moisture content on the top surface of the cap. My invention relates specifically to such an air deiiecting means or cap member and particularly to its construction and method of removably mounting the same on cold air flue members in display cases whereby it may be quickly detached therefrom for clearing frost or ice off its exposed imperforate top wall and readily replaced on the flue members.

In the present disclosure the vertical hollov7 ue members M each have sheet metal cap members, generally represented by the reference character 3|, telescoped over or removably fitted thereon. Each cap member 3| includes an imperforate top wa spaced side wells 33 and end walls 34 (see Figures 3 and 4). The metal of side walls 33 of the cap member 3i is slit and bent or struck inwardly of the side walls to form horizontal flanges or baflies 36 at spaced-apart l points along the length thereof. The bending of the iianges 35 also provide a row of spaced-apart air outlet openings 3l in the side walls of cap 3| along the length of the same, The upper edge of openings 3'@ is spaced from the top wall 32 of cap 3! and this provides a short lip portion 32S depending from the cap top wall along the spaced-apart openings 37. The flanges 36 serve a dual purpose in the present construction. Flanges 35 provide stops or means on the cap member 3| for spacing the imperforate top wall 32 thereof a predetermined distance from the upper open end of the flue member I4. The flanges 3G extend into the hollow flue I4 to provide baffles therein. The stops formed by anges 36 serve to automatically insure proper relationship of the cap member 3| on the flue member I4 upon replacing the cap on the flue after having been detached therefrom for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Air circulated upwardly in the iiue member i4. is directed, by the opposed flanges or baffles 36, against the central part of the underside of the imperforate top wall 32 of cap 3|. The bailles 36 together with the depending lips 38 thereabove prevent air flowing through iiue members I4 from egressing out of cap 3| in an upwardly direction. Thus air striking the top wali. 32 of cap 3| is caused to have its flow changed so as to egress from the outlet openings 3'! in a lateral and downwardly direction over and onto frozen food products stored in the compartments adjacent the Iiue members I4. Since air outside the display case at its open top flows into contact with the imperforate top wall 32 of the air defiecting cap members 3|, this cold top wall 32 causes moisture to be condensed out of this outside air and to be deposited and collected thereon in the form of a layer of frost or ice approximately to the thickness indicated by the dotted lines 39 in Figure 3 of the drawings. In order to quickly and periodically clear the air deector or cap 3| of this frost or ice 39 the cap 3| is slid upwardly relative to flue member I4 and detached therefrom. It is to be noted that the cap 3| may be removed from flue member I4 Without unfastening or loosening any additional means such as means employed to secure or lock the cap to the flue member. The removed cap 3| is then manually twisted to cause the frost or ice to crack or chip oil of the top wall 32 thereof cr the cap 3| may be dipped into hot water or held under flowing water to thaw the frost or ice therefrom. Such operation takes but a few seconds and therefore the rst portion or portions of a cold air distributing duct system in a refrigerated display to become frosted may be quickly cleared of such frost. When the defrosted cap member 3| is again placed or tted upon the ue member I4 the baies or flanges 36 on the cap member form a stop which limits the downward movement of the cap on the flue and insures proper spacing of the openings 3'! as well as the top wall 32 of cap 3| relative to the open top of the flue member I4.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that have provided a novel air deecting cap member for the upper open end of a flue member of an air circulating duct system in an open top frozen food storage type refrigerated display case.

My improved air deli-acting cap is removable from the iue member with which it is associated for quickly clearing frost or ice therefrom and the portions bent inwardly of the side walls thereof serve the double purpose of forming stop means and of providing baffles in the fines for directing air flowing through the flues in a more effective and improved manner.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

y What is claimed is as follows:

l. In combination with a substantially open top refrigerated display case having the display section thereof divided into compartments by a vertical hollow flue member through which cold air is circulated upwardly from below the compartments and is discharged over food products stored therein, an air deflecting cap removably tted upon the open upper end of said hollow flue member, said cap including an imperforate top wall and side walls depending therefrom, the side walls of said cap having portions bent therefrom providing a row of outlet openings therealong for directing air laterally out of said flue member, and said bent portions of the side walls of said cap engaging the top edge of the side walls of said flue member for spacing the top wall of said cap a predetermined distance above the upper open end of the flue member.

2. In combination with a substantially open top refrigerated display case having the display section thereof divided into compartments by a vertical hollow flue member through which cold air is circulated upwardly from below the compartments and is discharged over food products stored therein, an air deilecting cap member removably tted upon the open upper end of said hollow flue member, said cap member including an imperforate top wall and side walls depending therefrom, the side walls of one of said members having a row of outlet openings therealong for directing air laterally out of said flue member, and means on one of said members spacing said imperforate top Wall of said cap member and said row of outlet openings a predetermined distance above the open upper end of said due member.

3. In combination with a substantially open top refrigerated display case having the display section thereof divided into compartments by a vertical hollow fiue member through which cold air is circulated upwardly from below the compartments and is discharged over food products stored therein, an air deflecting cap member removably fitted upon the open upper end of said hollow flue member, said cap member including an imperforate top wall and side walls depending therefrom, the side walls of one of said members having inwardly bent flanges providing a row of f spaced-apart outlet openings therealong for directing air laterally out of said flue member, and said flanges overlapping the top edge of the side walls of said flue member and forming stops for spacing said imperforate top wall of said cap member a predetermined distance above the open upper end of said ue member.

4. In combination with a substantially open top refrigerated display case having the display section thereof divided into compartments by a vertical hollow fiue member through which cold air is circulated upwardly from below the compartments and is discharged over food products stored therein, an air deflecting cap member removably fitted upon the open upper end of said hollow flue member, said cap member including an imperforate top wall and side walls depending therefrom, the side walls of said cap member having inwardly bent i'ianges providing a row of spaced-apart outlet openings therealong, said flanges overlapping the top edge of the sidewalls of said ue member for spacing said imperforate top wall of said cap member a predetermined distance above the open upper end of said iiue member, and said flanges forming baliies in said ue member below and adjacent to said outlet openings whereby air circulated upwardly in said flue strikes the imperforate top wall of said cap member and is directed downwardly and laterally out of said iiue member.

5. In combination with a refrigerator having a product storage chamber divided into compartments by at least one or more vertical hollow flue members through which cold air is circulated upwardly from below the compartments and is discharged over food products stored therein, an air defiecting cap removably tted upon the upper open end of said one flue member, said cap including an imperforate top wall and side walls depending therefrom, the side walls of said cap having portions struck inwardly therefrom to provide a row of outlet openings therealong for directing air laterally out of said ue member, said outlet openings being spaced below said imperforate top wall of said cap, said inwardly struck portions of the side Walls of said cap engaging the top edge of walls of said flue member for supporting the imperforate top wall of said cap above the upper open end of said flue member, and said inwardly struck portions of the side walls of said cap forming baies within said fiue member spaced from the imperforate'cap top wall and adjacent to said outlet openings.

6. In combination with a refrigerator having a product storage chamber divided into compartments by at least one or more vertical hollow sheet metal fiue members through which cold air is circulated upwardly from below the compartments and is discharged over food products stored therein, a sheet metal air deflecting cap removably tted upon the upper open end of said one flue member, said cap including an imperiorate top wall and spaced-apart side walls depending therefrom, the side walls of said cap having portions bent inwardly thereof at spaced-apart points therealong to provide a row of outlet openings, the top wall of said openings being spaced below the top wall of said cap to form short lips depending from said cap top wall above said outlet openings, and said bent portions of said cap side walls and said lips cooperating with one another to cause air circulated upwardly through said nue member to be directed laterally and downwardly out of said outlet openings.

7. In combination with a substantially open top refrigerated display case having the display section thereof divided into compartments by an upright hollow iiue member through which cold air is circulated upwardly and is discharged over and upon food products stored in the compartments, an air defleeting cap member for the discharge end of said iue member, said cap member including an imperforate top wall and depending side walls, said depending side walls of said cap member telescopically engaging the side walls of said flue member to removably support said cap member upon the upper open end of said flue member, the side walls of one of said members having a row or" outlet openings therealong for directing air laterally out of said flue member, and stop means on one of said members engageable with a part of the other of said members for spacing said imperforate top wall of said cap member a predetermined distance above the open upper end of said flue member.

8. In combination with a refrigerated display case having the display section thereof divided into compartments by an upright hollow flue through which cold air is circulated upwardly from below the compartments and is discharged over and upon food products stored therein, air deecting means for the upper open end of said hollow ue, said air deecting means including an imperforate top wall portion and side walls, each of said side walls having spaced apart portions along the length thereof bent inwardly into said flue beneath the top wall portion of said means to provide a row of outlet openings, the upper edge of said openings being spaced from said imperforate top Wall portion to form short lips depending therefrom, said bent portions of said side walls forming the bottom of said outlet openings and having their inner edge spaced from one another within said flue for the passage of air therebetween, said inwardly bent portions and said lips cooperating with one another to cause air circulating upwardly through said flue to impinge against the central part of said imperforate top wall, and said top wall portion of said means swerving the upwardly circulated air in said ue downwardly past said lips whereby to discharge the air downwardly and laterally out of said outlet openings.

9. In combination with a refrigerated display case having a display section and an upright hollow flue associated therewith through which cold air is circulated upwardly and is discharged over and upon food products stored in said section, air deecting means for the upper open end of said hollow flue, said air delecting means including an imperforate top wall portion and a side wall, said side Wall having spaced apart portions along the length thereof bent inwardly into said iiue beneath the top wall portion of said means to provide a row of outlet openings, the upper edge of said openings being spaced from said imperforate top Wall portion to form short lips depending therefrom, said bent portions of said side wall forming the bottom of said outlet openings and having their inner edge spaced from an opposed side wall of said flue for the passage of air therearound, said inwardly bent portions and said lips of said means cooperating with one another to cause air circulating upwardly through said flue to impinge against said imperforate top wall, and said top wall portion of said means swerving the upwardly circulated air in said flue downwardly past said lips whereby to discharge the air downwardly and laterally out of said outlet openings.

References Cited in the nle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,907,680 Strass May 9, 1933 2,222,524 Wolf Nov. 19, 1940 2,387,622 Tanner Oct. 13, 1945 

